When faced with losing a significant amount of weight, most people have no idea where to start. Most of them have tried and failed using the traditional strategies of diet & exercise or even fad diets, hypnosis, or other non-conventional strategies.

Experts have determined that once a person reaches the BMI level that signals obesity, it is very hard for that individual to lose weight without some type of medical help. For years, that help has come in the form of surgery, but today, there are other sources of assistance for these patients that are much less invasive and do not involve surgery.

Today, we are going to talk about a few of these newer weight loss tools, including medications like Ozempic, Ozempic alternatives, and an endoscopic weight loss technique that rivals gastric sleeve surgery in results.

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What Is Ozempic And What GLP-1 Alternatives Are Available Today?

Ozempic is the brand name for a prescription medication called semaglutide that has been used since its approval by the FDA in 2017 to help individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes to manage their blood sugar levels. It is administered once a week via injection and works by mimicking a natural hormone in your body called GLP-1. This hormone is responsible for helping to regulate blood sugar by stimulating the production of insulin when triggered by the consumption of food. It was discovered that Ozempic had a surprising side effect, and individuals who were on the medication lost a significant amount of weight. It has recently been marketed as Wegovy and approved by the FDA to help patients with weight management.

Other GLP-1 medications on the market that are approved for both the treatment of type 2 diabetes and to help combat obesity are liraglutide and tirzepatide.

How Do Ozempic And GLP-1 Alternatives For Weight Loss Work?

When we eat, our bodies naturally produce hormones called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormones. These hormones are important in the digestion process because they help our bodies regulate insulin and glucagon levels, which keeps our blood sugar under control. They also help regulate our metabolism and send signals to our brain that tell us if we are hungry or satisfied. GLP-1 agonist injections for weight loss copy our natural hormones and help our metabolic functions run smoother. They help individuals lose weight by ensuring that calories are burned more efficiently by lowering blood sugar levels and curbing their appetite. This helps people eat less and stay satisfied longer, leading to weight loss.

What Semaglutide Alternatives Are Available Today?

Liraglutide

Liraglutide was first FDA-approved in 2010 for treating type 2 diabetes under the name Victoza, but in 2017, it made history as the first GLP-1 receptor agonist approved by the FDA to be used as a treatment for obesity under the name Saxenda. This weight loss drug requires daily injections with a prefilled pen that requires a new needle every day. Even though it was the first weight loss shot available, it did not receive the same type of favorable response as when Wegovy hit the market because patients felt the daily dosing was inconvenient and it led to significantly less impressive weight loss results.

Tirzepatide

The most recent weight loss injection to hit the market is Zepbound, approved by the FDA for treating obesity in November 2023. It was initially approved for the control of blood sugar in diabetic patients as Mounjaro in May 2022 and has shown better results in managing blood sugar levels than both liraglutide and semaglutide. Zepbound differs from the other weight loss injections because it targets both GLP-1 and GIP hormones, and in combining these two hormones, it has produced the most significant weight loss results to date.

What Is The Downside Of Using Ozempic Or GLP-1 Alternative Injections?

These weight loss injections may seem like the holy grail to some individuals, but they are not without risks or side effects.

Some of the downsides to using Ozempic or GLP-1 alternative injections are that these drugs have not been in use long enough for us to fully understand their long-term effects, and they are quite expensive and rarely covered by insurance unless the patient has diabetes or prediabetes.

Some individuals may achieve a healthy weight and maintain it through healthy lifestyle choices after using these medications, but others may need to stay on them long-term. For some people, these injections may be a lifelong necessity because they help to control or regulate an underlying issue that prevents their body from responding to other weight loss strategies. Unfortunately, we do not have enough data to fully understand what the long-term risks might be.

Some of the known side effects of these medications include:

• Nausea;
• Vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• Constipation;
• Intestinal Issues;
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
• Headaches;
• Fatigue;
• Gallbladder Issues;
• Pancreatitis;
• Kidney Problems;
• Thyroid Tumors;
• Increase in Heart Rate.

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Is There Something Better For Weight Loss Than GLP-1 Medications Or Semaglutide Alternatives?

Yes! Weight loss medications can be very helpful in the short term, but remaining on GLP-1 medication long-term is undesirable because it is cost prohibitive and has possible, but unknown, long-term side effects.

Endoscopic Suture Sculpt ESG

Today, we are fortunate to have a non-surgical solution to help reduce the size of an individual's stomach called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG). At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, this procedure is called Suture Sculpt ESG and it reduces how much a patient’s stomach can hold.

Patients after ESG can only eat very small portions, they remain feeling full longer, and they do not get hungry as often. Besides controlling portions, reducing the size of the stomach also slows down the digestive process, so the stomach empties much slower, which helps maintain a feeling of satiety.

If you have struggled with maintaining a healthy weight and you are ready to get it under control, we are ready, willing, and able to help you accomplish it. Dr. Steven Batash has been an advocate for patient health, practicing medicine for over 30 years in NYC. At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, he and his team can help you successfully achieve sustainable weight loss and improve your health.

You will have a comprehensive plan designed specifically for you as well as receive the education, support, and tools you need to reach your goals. When you undergo Suture Sculpt ESG here at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, you also receive a support system that includes access to our OnTrack lifestyle and nutrition coaching for an entire year. This program is invaluable for the preservation of your weight loss results as it teaches you how and why to make certain lifestyle changes that will not only keep your weight in check but will also improve your health.

Contact us today and set up a consultation to learn more about how you can lose weight and keep it off.

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